Saturday, September 27, 2008

Plastics aren’t all bad. Those numbered 1, 2, 4 or 5 are perfectly fine and don’t leach chemicals, but all this talk about hormone disruptors in plastics (like bisphenol A, which the FDA mind-bogglingly insists is safe despite numerous studies suggesting otherwise) has me rediscovering the reassuring safety of glass.

A few weeks ago at Zabar’s in New York City, I stumbled onto these cool glass “Frigoverre Plus” containers made by an Italian company called Bormioli Rocco. The lids, made of non-leaching polypropylene, or PP (#5 recycling code) have special vents that make the containers airtight so your food stays fresh, just like it does wrapped in petroleum-based plastic only without the plastic-y taste. The glass is microwave-safe. And they’re leak-proof; speaking from personal experience, even the runniest soups stay inside after sloshing around in a shoulder bag.

About Me

A journalist specializing in personal and environmental health and helping consumers identify truly, verifiably green products, I'm currently writing a book full of pleasure- and health-boosting, money- and resource-saving,tips for daily life. For 11 years, I was editor-in-chief of THE GREEN GUIDE and co-founder of thegreenguide.com); I've also been editor-in-chief of Honolulu Weekly, and a senior editor at Plenty and This Old House magazines. Got my start in magazines at Glamour. My writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic Monthly, Sierra, The Nation,Worldwatch,Sprig.com and elsewhere.
Married (to the irrepressible Green Man) and a mom, I divide my time between my home base of New York City, birthplace Hawaii, and a small wild island off the coast of Brittany, France.